Compostable/biodegradable christmas tree disposal container

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to systems and methods for encasing, transporting and disposing a natural tree in a manner most conducive to protecting the environment. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods using a compostable, biodegradable bag large enough to encase a tree for handling it in transport and in disposal. Though there are several different embodiments of biodegradable bags that may be used for the design, this disclosure covers two embodiments: a top-down approach, wherein the bag is sheathed over the tree starting from the top, and a bottom-up one where the trunk fits through an aperture in the bag, and is then cloaked upwards around the tree. In either case, the bag is then sealed and fastened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As life has become increasingly complex, it has become customary to enjoy and display naturally growing trees not only in gardens, parks and orchards, but also indoors, be it in homes, hotels, offices or exposition centers. It is a well-known problem in day-to-day practice that when such a natural tree, most frequently a Christmas tree is transported to and from a place of planting or display, leaves, pods, flowers, fruit or bark may become dry or rotting and the tree has a tendency to shed these. This is the case regardless of the type of tree. Especially in the case of naturally occurring Christmas trees, where the volume of transport of trees is quite heavy at the time of the holidays, it is an objective to both cut down litter caused in place to place transport as well as on-site, along with long term ecological effects of discarding millions of trees around the world into landfills with non-organically based waste, simply by reason of the use of non-eco-friendly and non-biodegradable packaging materials. It is estimated that globally, there are close to 100 million trees purchased every year. Therefore, it is possible there may be a need for a few million disposable Christmas tree bags every year. When a tree has a plastic wrap/container or other inorganic or oil-based materials placed around it, it usually ends up in a landfill. A tree is compostable, so is able to be composted if it is covered in a compostable tree wrap. It is therefore a major objective of the present invention to preserve to the best extent possible, the integrity of a tree in transport and disposal, while not leaving a heavy eco-footprint. There is therefore a principal purpose for the invention that trees do not have to be placed into a landfill with non-organically processed polymers and plastic materials.

It is a further objective to rid landfills of roughly estimated 2-5 million tree-wraps a year, which are for the most part not recyclable.

It is a further objective to transition disposable Christmas tree bags from non-renewable oil-based fossil fuels (resource) to long-term less-expensive bio-based (agricultural renewable resource) materials, saving the ecology and money.

It is a further objective to make the disposal of a tree, after use, back into the natural environment providing nutrients to the soil and contributing to enrichment rather than waste.

It is yet another objective of the invention to enable reuse or recycling of the materials of a tree in the most convenient and least expensive method, be it for firewood or paper-pulp, by using a neutral and eco-friendly packaging material that can be added to the recycling or reuse process without contaminating the pulp or other material being made.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to systems and methods for encasing, transporting and disposing a natural tree in a manner most conducive to protecting the environment. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods using a biodegradable encasing material for handling a tree in transport and in disposal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Several United States patents alone raise the issue of the handling and disposal of a tree of a Christmas tree without detailed consideration of the objectives of disposal or methods of such. Therefore, there is scope for the use of a biodegradable disposal container for a Christmas tree, using a novel material of manufacture for such a container.

United States Patent Application US 2007/0284273 A1 by Bornemeier et al, published Dec. 13, 2007 for a Disposable Tree Cover System relates to a disposable tree cover system particularly useful for enclosing trees to catch shed leaves and needles, possibly attached at the base of the trunk of the tree then extended up and around the tree to provide a shed-proof enclosure for the tree. However, the material forming the cover system may be inexpensive fabric, cloth, or plastic, and needs to be strong enough to support handles on the enclosure to facilitate handling of the tree. The disposable tree bag may also be used in other areas, such as shipping of live trees, so as to provide protection for the tree, and possibly manufactured of sturdier reusable material, instead of disposable. Landfill disposal, biodegradability and eco-friendliness are not contemplated as a problem to solve.

United States Patent Application US 2008/0185307 A1 by Hecht et al, published Aug. 7, 2008 for an Original Christmas Tree Transport System formed of a folding polyethylene plastic sheet tarpaulin apparatus using Velcro hook and loop fasteners, allowing a user to easily enclose and transport a natural Christmas tree within the apparatus without spilling the needles. The apparatus is reusable (including handles and wheels) and compactible (foldable), allowing quick and easy user enclosure transport and storage. This container is not intended for disposal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,822, issued to Walters on Jun. 15, 1976 for planting containers to facilitate mechanized planting of seedlings in large numbers, so are tubular and apertured. The containers are adapted to be grouped into bundles which facilitate the nursery, transporting and planting operations. The containers may be formed of a biodegradable material or may comprise separating sections to allow unimpeded root development. Disposal is not contemplated, though eventual (long-term) biodegradation into the earth is merely foreseen.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,795, issued to Regan on Jun. 10, 1980 for a Stored Collapsible Bag—Extension about a Tree for Disposal including a bag having a hole in the bottom thereof through which a tree trunk is extended. This bag is placed in a container with a centrally positioned collar that extends through the hole in the bag and through which the trunk of a tree is extended. The container has a removable top which when removed, which allows the bag to be extended around the tree in order to enclose it. Again there is no biodegradability.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,604, issued to DeLaura et al on May 24, 1983 for a plastic Disposal Bag for placement of a Christmas Tree, prevents dry pine needles falling off when the tree is carried out, the bag including a small aperture which the tree trunk penetrates, the bag being collapsible around the tree (or a tree stand) to hide it during display, then drapable around the tree for transport, and sealable at the top. The invention speaks of ornamentation and convenience rather than disposal or biodegradability.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,878, issued to Lofton on Feb. 13, 1990, also for a Christmas Tree Disposal Bag combined with an underlay which can be folded to neatly stow beneath the tree, or unfolded to provide a large area cover sheet which may enshroud the entire Christmas tree. Aesthetic disposal and avoiding mess is the key, with no mention of eco-friendly disposal.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,317 A, issued to Turner et al on Nov. 1, 1994 for an Evacuative Christmas tree container, i.e., a flexible bag formed by gas impervious sheet plastic, providing a pneumatically sealable chamber which may be evacuated around the Christmas tree held within the chamber and sealed using a zipper. The bag is collapsible about the tree base for display. No preferred method of disposal is described, however.

It therefore appears that there is a great need during the year and during Christmastime in particular, to have an ecologically friendly and biodegradable container, or wrapper for container transport, storage, display, disposal, or reuse of a naturally occurring tree.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention takes the form of a bag large enough to fit over a tree which can be customized to fit over any desired tree. There are several different embodiments of biodegradable bags that may be used for the design of the invention. In this disclosure, two embodiments will be disclosed: a top-down approach, wherein the bag is placed over the tree as a sheathe starting from the top of the tree; and a bottom-up one where the trunk fits through an aperture in the bag, and is then cloaked upwards around the tree and fastened from above.

The first aforementioned case would typically be a conical or rectangular bag fitting over the top of the tree, bears no aperture for ingress of the trunk, wherein the bag would be rolled or draped over the top by hand, and can be tied off and thus sealed once it is rolled over the tree.

In the second case, the tree would be placed with the trunk through a large enough aperture in a rectangular bag sitting underneath the bottom of the tree, with the bag then rolling or draping upwards over the tree again by hand, and then being tied off and thus sealed. A tie may be used for this purpose and will typically also be biodegradable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a Standing Christmas Tree

FIG. 2 shows the process of Starting to Cover a Christmas Tree

FIG. 3 shows the process of Extending the Cover over a Christmas Tree

FIG. 4 shows a Covered Christmas Tree

FIG. 5 shows a Christmas Tree Covered and Tied

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an inexpensive biodegradable disposable tree container like a bag to use for encasing trees to catch all the dried, rotting and dead materials shed by them. These include, but are not limited to leaves, pods, flowers, fruit and bark. The tree disposal container may be extended over the tree like a sheath from the top as shown in FIGS. 2-5 or in the alternative, skirt the tree and be pulled over from a tree stand upwards. The material composing the container can be a relatively low-cost biodegradable polymer like Mater-Bi™ or Ecobras™. Such a polymer may be made from edible materials such as starches, and may easily be molded and die-cast like conventional plastics, and may as well be printed on or painted. They may also easily be made inherently anti-static and sterilized by means of gamma radiation. As stated in the summary, two embodiments are discussed here out of several potential choices:

1. Over-Top-of-Tree Design:

The bag in this embodiment is intended for placement over the tree by hand. FIG. 1 shows a Christmas tree in the initial standing position. The covering and wrapping process is typically achieved when the tree is then turned over onto its side. This process most likely begins at the apex of the tree as shown in FIG. 2, and then extended over its full length which process is shown in FIG. 3. The bag may either be conical or rectangular in shape. Once the tree has been covered as shown in FIG. 4, the bag may seal off the tree trunk as well. It may then be secured together with or without the help of a biodegradable tie mechanism (such as in the case of garbage bags) which is shown in FIG. 5. These ties also come in two types, with a tie string and the other permitting the ends to be twisted together without string.

It is important to keep in mind that a cone shaped bag is only one of the implemented starts at the top of the tree. A bag may come in many lengths to accommodate different size trees and species. It can similarly also come in different thickness based on size of trees. It can use many types or mixtures of biodegradable materials, depending on future enhancements, cost and strength of these various materials. It is understood that where a tie string is used to tie off the bag, it will be made of biodegradable material.

2. Below-Tree Design with Recess for Trunk:

Though not depicted in diagrams, the process may be easily conceived as the converse of the top-down design, and can also be entitled a “bottom-up” process. Enclosing the tree with the bag may instead be accomplished by hand beginning at the bottom of the tree, with the tree trunk passing through an opening cut into the bag narrowed to the size of the intended tree's trunk. There may also be an elastic collar around the opening to fit the trunk snugly. It may then be pulled up and over the tree and sealed (again similarly to the top down design using a tie) at the apex of the tree. Such a bag is most practical if rectangular in shape. Once the tree has been covered, the bag may then be tied together, with or without the use of a biodegradable tying mechanism (again like for a garbage bag) in a string or twist configuration. There is again no restriction on the size or thickness of the bag, or even on the size of the opening due to varying sizes of tree-trunks. The bag may be made from the same mixtures of biodegradable materials as in the top-down configuration. If a tie string is used, it will likely consist of a similar biodegradable material as the bag itself so that all can be disposed. 

1. A biodegradable, ecologically-friendly container for enclosing an entire tree for transport and disposal, which prevents littering by debris shed by the tree, comprising: a biodegradable bag which fits around the tree, said bag consisting of a biodegradable material such as a polymer manufactured from organic raw materials; a plurality of apertures to accept ingress of the tree.
 2. The container of claim 1, further comprising a biodegradable tie to seal at least one of the apertures.
 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the biodegradable material is a biodegradable polymer.
 4. The container of claim 1, which can also be composted.
 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the tree is accepted into the bag by means of a recess at the top and sealed by tying the mouth of the aperture around the lower trunk.
 6. The container of claim 1, wherein the trunk of the tree is accepted into the bag by means of a snugly fitting recess at the bottom and sealed by tying at the top.
 7. The container of claim 1, wherein the bag is conical.
 8. The container of claim 1, wherein the bag is rectangular.
 9. The container of claim 3, wherein the biodegradable polymer may be moldable, printable, anti-static and easily sterilized by radiation.
 10. An ecologically-friendly method for enclosing an entire tree for transport and disposal, preventing littering by debris shed by the tree, comprising the steps of: accepting ingress of the tree into at least one aperture within a biodegradable container in the form of a bag which fits around the tree, said bag consisting of a biodegradable material such as a polymer manufactured from organic raw materials; sealing at least one of the apertures.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sealing step is accomplished by means of a biodegradable tie.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the biodegradable material used to make the bag is a biodegradable polymer.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the container can also be composted.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of accepting the tree into the bag is accomplished by means of a recess at the top; and the step of sealing at least one of the apertures is accomplished by tying the mouth of the aperture around the lower trunk.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of accepting the tree into the bag is accomplished by accepting the trunk of the tree into the bag by means of a snugly fitting recess at the bottom and sealed by tying at the top.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein the bag is conical.
 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the bag is rectangular.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein the biodegradable polymer may be moldable, printable, anti-static and easily sterilized by radiation. 